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Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 5:11 pm
by jeffstag
How often do you see a brass one of these?
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:24 pm
by A Whiteman
Probably made of Bronze (copper and tin) which is much harder and stronger than brass (copper and zinc), although different metals can be used in bronze such as aluminium and manganese and even a bit of zinc too. Brass is used in lamps and fittings in the T and is quite soft and malleable.
(Bronze castings are used in some Ruckstell gears and in TT crown wheels too).
Even so, it would seem uncommon to find a bronze one of these, although I have 2 bronze universal joints in my parts bin too. Would these be very early ones?
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 7:09 pm
by Scott_Conger
I'm not ready to believe it's bronze. Throw a magnet on it.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:55 pm
by pre15dale
I have one, definitely bronze or brass
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:20 pm
by Scott_Conger
well, I'm not to old to learn something new. Thanks.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:11 pm
by jeffstag
It's probably bronze, but you can't tell with a magnet, since bronze and brass are both non-magnetic. The bronze universal joints has me intrigued, though. Somebody at Ford was tinkering around.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:16 pm
by Herb Iffrig
Check those universal joints that are bronze next to a Model T one. If they are not the same as the T one they could be NRS Ford ones. I think the NRS ones are a little bigger maybe. I would be interested in them if they are.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 5:36 am
by bobt
Did you try a magnet? Post reply.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:32 am
by Original Smith
I've seen one or two of those. Pretty neat. I wonder if Ford ever made a two piece one?
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:32 am
by Rich Bingham
Curiously, aluminum bronze is magnetic. How about that ?
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:46 am
by jeffstag
This is not magnetic at all. When it came to me it was painted and covered in grime just like normal, but there was a scratch that looked unusually shiney, so I stuck a magnet on it and it didn't stick.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:33 pm
by Jerry VanOoteghem
A Whiteman wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:24 pm
Probably made of Bronze (copper and tin) which is much harder and stronger than brass (copper and zinc), although different metals can be used in bronze such as aluminium and manganese and even a bit of zinc too. Brass is used in lamps and fittings in the T and is quite soft and malleable.
(Bronze castings are used in some Ruckstell gears and in TT crown wheels too).
Even so, it would seem uncommon to find a bronze one of these, although I have 2 bronze universal joints in my parts bin too. Would these be very early ones?
I don't know about very early T's, but the NRS cars had bronze U-Joints.
As to the subject bronze torque tube ball, I have never seen such a thing!
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:35 pm
by Jerry VanOoteghem
Jeff,
I assume it has the Ford logo cast on it?
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:39 pm
by Allan
Jeff, does it have a separate babbit bush for the driveshaft or does the shaft run directly in the bronze housing?
Allan from down under.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:06 pm
by A Whiteman
I don't know about very early T's, but the NRS cars had bronze U-Joints.
As to the subject bronze torque tube ball, I have never seen such a thing!
So could the ball joint be an N/R/S fitting too?
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:28 pm
by jeffstag
Jerry, I don’t see the Ford logo stamp, but it does have the correct part number T7608
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:31 pm
by jeffstag
Allan, it looks like it has a steel bushing in there, it’s still a little dirty down there because I didn’t bother to go that far down with the sand blaster
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:36 pm
by jeffstag
Adrian, This wouldn't be NRS since it's the later style. I'm assuming Pre-Model T would be something similar to the early two-piece end.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:40 pm
by jeffstag
Jerry, I'll have to amend my earlier reply. I found the Ford stamp, it was just faint.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 11:22 pm
by Allan
So it wasn't made in bronze so they could delete the bushing. I can't see any other reason to go to a casting of material which is more expensive.
Alln fron down under.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 11:05 am
by pre15dale
Mine has the Ford script which if I understand correctly that the script on parts began about 1919 would make fairly late in production. Min has part number T7609
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 12:09 pm
by FATMAN
How about this piece?
Bob
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 7:23 pm
by Luxford
This housing ticks all the boxes for being a Universal Joint housing for the Ford marine engine.
A housing without any tailshaft in bronze, check out the marine motor post
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:07 pm
by jeffstag
Interesting....Not saying you're wrong, but weren't those 3rd party conversions? Would marine conversion parts still carry Ford part numbers?
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:09 pm
by jeffstag
The piece that Robert posted is 3rd party, so that may have been some kind of conversion, just brainstorming
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 6:23 am
by A Whiteman
The piece that Robert posted is 3rd party, so that may have been some kind of conversion, just brainstorming
In the third picture the marking on the part says "National", so I guess it is third party.
Re: Unusual Drive Shaft Universal Joint Housing
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 8:39 am
by Steve Jelf
A couple of Model T parts that were bronze for years are sediment bulbs and Holley G carburetors. I believe the change of both to cast iron was a cost saving measure.